An oculoplastic surgeon can meet a very real need in an ophthalmology practice. Patients may already be asking your doctors about drooping eyelids, tearing, skin lesions, or changes around the eyes. Other patients need more involved reconstruction or orbital care. The question is what kind of work you want the new surgeon to do, how that fits within your organization—and whether your practice is ready to help them do it.
That matters because “oculoplastic opening” can describe very different positions. One practice needs someone to care for patients with eyelid and tear duct problems. Another hopes to build a regional referral center for orbital disease and complex reconstruction. A third wants a surgeon interested in both functional and cosmetic work. Those positions will appeal to different doctors.
Since 2009, OjO Recruitment Agency has helped eye care practices think through searches like these. Here are the questions we would ask before starting an oculoplastic surgeon search.
What Work Will This Surgeon Actually Do?
Start with the patients you already see and the patients you currently send elsewhere. How many referrals are there for ptosis, dermatochalasis, eyelid malposition, lesions, tearing, and reconstruction after skin cancer removal? Are there orbital cases that need a specialist nearby? How much cosmetic interest have patients expressed?
Separate the cases you can identify today from the work you hope the new doctor will develop. A candidate will want to know whether they can begin with an established schedule or will need to build their own practice over time. Neither is necessarily a problem, as long as you describe it honestly.
Ask your doctors and optometrists which patients they refer out, where those patients go, and what has made those referrals work well—or poorly. That conversation often tells you more about the opportunity than a broad estimate of local demand.
Which Fellowship Background Fits the Position?
Oculoplastic surgeons come to this work through different fellowship paths. Some complete a two-year ASOPRS-approved oculofacial plastic surgery fellowship; others complete a one-year oculoplastics fellowship. The distinction matters, but the best place to start is with the patients you hope this doctor will care for.
If your practice sees complex orbital cases, trauma, or extensive reconstruction, ask candidates about the training and hands-on experience they have with those cases. If you mainly need help with eyelids, tear ducts, office procedures, or cosmetic work, talk about that mix just as openly. What does the surgeon love doing? What have they done often? What would they like to do more of? Two surgeons with the same fellowship length may give you quite different answers.
Let doctors know what background your position calls for. If ASOPRS-approved fellowship training is essential to the role, say so. If you are also open to an ophthalmologist with a one-year oculoplastics fellowship, say that too. A clear invitation helps the right candidates see what a future with your practice could look like.
Where Will the Patients Come From?
Oculoplastic surgeons typically depend on relationships across a wider circle than their own ophthalmology group. Depending on the role, referrals may come from optometrists, general ophthalmologists, dermatologists, Mohs surgeons, ENT physicians, neurologists, primary care clinicians, or nearby hospitals.
Which of those relationships does your practice already have? What kinds of cases will your team refer to the new surgeon? Is there an established referral pattern for skin cancer reconstruction? If the surgeon is expected to develop those relationships, what introductions, time and marketing support will you give them?
A doctor considering your position will listen closely to the difference between “we have these patients now” and “we believe the patients are out there.” Give them a fair picture of both.
Is the Practice Set Up for a New Provider?
Talk through where procedures will happen. Which cases can be done in the office, and which require an ASC or hospital? Is there dependable OR time? If the position includes orbital or more extensive reconstructive work, are hospital privileges, anesthesia support, and the right surgical team available?
Consider the clinic as well. Who will take clinical photographs, arrange visual field testing when needed, and help gather the documentation for functional eyelid surgery? Who will manage insurance authorizations and surgical scheduling? If you hope to offer cosmetic consultations, will the surgeon have the time and setting to listen to patients’ goals and talk through their options?
You do not need every piece in place before interviewing. Candidates do need to know what is ready now and what your practice is willing to add.
What Kind of Career Can the Doctor Build Here?
Some oculoplastic surgeons want a busy functional practice. Others hope for a particular balance of functional, reconstructive, orbital, and cosmetic work. One doctor may be excited to build a service from the ground up; another may want an established patient base and room to grow a cosmetic practice. Ask what kind of week the candidate hopes to have, then compare it with the work your practice can realistically offer.
Be ready to discuss call, compensation while the practice grows, staff support, and whether partnership or ASC ownership is possible. An experienced surgeon considering a move will also want to know why the position is open, how decisions are made, and how the group handles referrals between its doctors.
Are you hoping for a surgeon who does occasional cosmetic blepharoplasty and injectables, or someone who wants to build a substantial cosmetic practice? If cosmetic work is part of the plan, talk plainly about who will manage patient inquiries, consultations, and follow-up. Do not assume every oculoplastic surgeon wants the same cosmetic practice—or any cosmetic practice at all.
If your group has brought an oculoplastic surgeon into the practice before, tell candidates what you learned and how you would help them get started. Introducing a surgeon’s cosmetic work to patients and referring doctors takes its own kind of attention. A team that knows how to do that can make the first year feel much less like starting from scratch.
How OjO Can Help
We begin by learning what your practice needs and what a new surgeon can expect in their first year with the group. We can help you describe the position clearly, think through candidate expectations, and reach doctors personally—including surgeons who may be content where they are but are open to a move for the right opportunity.
As we get to know a candidate, we ask about their training and surgical interests, the work they want to do, and where they and their family can see themselves living. That helps us introduce doctors whose goals make sense for your practice, and helps both sides have candid conversations early.
Why Starting Early Is Crucial
ASOPRS-trained surgeons are few and far between. Published estimates put the number completing this training at fewer than 30 each year in the United States. Experienced oculoplastic ophthalmologists—including those with just one-year of fellowship training—may also be a good fit, depending on the work you need done. Even so, you are looking within a small group of specialists, and the search may take longer than you expect.
If you know a transition is coming, start early. Perhaps a senior partner is beginning to wind down, a nearby practice has lost its oculoplastic surgeon, or your community is growing. Giving yourself 12 to 18 months lets you define the position, meet doctors, and work through the details without having to choose the first available candidate. It gives you more room to find someone who wants to do this work with your group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need an ASOPRS-trained oculoplastic surgeon?
That depends on the cases you need the doctor to manage and the five or ten year vision for the service. ASOPRS-approved fellowship training lasts two years and there are only about 30 of these surgeons that finish training annually. Other ophthalmic plastic surgeons are ophthalmologists who do a shorter one-year oculoplastics fellowship. Look closely at the surgeon’s actual training and experience alongside the mix of functional, reconstructive, orbital, and cosmetic work in your practice.
Can an oculoplastic surgeon work in a comprehensive ophthalmology practice?
An oculoplastic surgeon can be a particularly good fit within a multispecialty ophthalmology group. Colleagues can refer appropriate patients within the practice, the surgeon has access to established patient relationships, and patients may find it easier to receive coordinated care from doctors who work together.
How should we prepare before interviewing candidates?
Gather your current referral and procedure information. If you are not already tracking the number and types of oculoplastics cases your doctors refer out, start now. Identify where the new surgeon would operate and what help you can provide with scheduling and authorizations. Agree on the cases the practice needs covered, what fellowship background is required, and which parts of the position are still open to discussion.
Can OjO help us plan the role before we begin recruiting?
Yes. We are happy to talk through the patients you see and refer out, the competitive landscape around you for plastics, and the type of surgeon who may be an ideal skillset and culture fit for your opportunity, before you begin an intensive search for this provider.
Does OjO require an exclusive contract or an upfront recruitment fee?
No. Our recruitment work is contingency-based, and we do not require exclusivity.
Does OjO offer a guarantee on placements?
Yes. We offer a full money back guarantee on our optometry and ophthalmology placements.
Let’s Talk About Your Practice
Whether you are replacing an oculoplastic surgeon or adding this sub-specialty for the first time, we would be glad to talk through the position and how we might find the right surgeon for your team.
Reach out to us by sending a note to: info@ojorecruiting.com, or by clicking the links contact OjO, or learn more about our recruitment services.